title: In vitro antioxidant activity of Bombax malabaricum flower extracts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Bombax malabaricum DC. (Bombacaceae) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine used for the treatment of inflammatory conditions, diarrhea, fever, chronic inflammation, catarrhal affection, and as a diuretic. However, little information is available about its antioxidative activity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Water, 50% ethanol, and 80% acetone extracts from flowers of B. malabaricum were investigated for their in vitro antioxidant activity in this article for the first time. Then the relationships between antioxidant activity measured by different methods and total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) were established.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antioxidant activities of extracts from B. malabaricum flower were investigated including 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC), reducing power, and inhibition on phosphatidylcholine liposome peroxidation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed that all the extracts possessed remarkable antioxidant capacity compared with ascorbic or gallic acids. Total antioxidant activities evaluated by ORAC assay of different extracts ranged from 700.03 to 1482.46 μmol Trolox equivalents/g. The highest TPC of 130.38 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g was observed in 80% acetone extract, whereas the lowest TPC of 57.09 mg GAE/g was obtained in the water extract. Furthermore, TFC exhibited significant (P < 0.05) positive correlations with DPPH radical-scavenging activity, ORAC, and reducing power.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings demonstrate that the flowers of B. malabaricum have excellent antioxidant activities and thus might be a potential source of natural antioxidants.
authors.affiliation: Institution of Food Safety, College of Light Industry and Food Sciences, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yi-Gang
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Qiu-Tong
authors.initials: QT
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Xing-Long
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Xiao-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dong-Mei
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000096:Acetone / Q000032:analysis; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000737:chemistry; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D035163:Bombax / Q000737:chemistry*; D003124:Colorimetry / Q000379:methods; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000032:analysis; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry*; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D010636:Phenols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins; D000975:Antioxidants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014867:Water; D000096:Acetone; D000431:Ethanol; D005707:Gallic Acid; D001205:Ascorbic Acid